- By Vivek Raj
- Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:12 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Reasi Bus Attack: At least nine pilgrims, including a child, were killed and 33 others injured when terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying devotees from Shiv Khori cave shrine to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday evening. The Indian Army has launched a search operation in Reasi, using drones to comb the forest area for the attackers. The FSL team has also arrived at the spot to gather further information. DIG Reasi Udhampur range Rayees Mohammad Bhat reached the spot to assess the situation. As per eyewitnesses, two terrorists were there
The 53-seater bus, ambushed by terrorists, wheeled off the road and fell into a deep gorge around 6:15 pm. Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma reported, "A group of militants attacked a Yatri bus from the Ransoo area of Reasi. The driver lost control, and the bus fell into a gorge near the Kanda area of Pouni."
Latest Updates On The Reasi Bus Attack:
-The NIA team has also reached Reasi to asses the situation on the ground and assist the police and Army. Among the nine dead pilgrims, four are reportedly from Rajasthan, three are from Uttar Pradesh, as reported by news agency PTI.
-Eighteen injured are undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College in Jammu, 14 at Narayana Hospital and nine at the district hospital in Reasi. Among the injured, 34 are from Uttar Pradesh, five from Delhi and two from Rajasthan, the officials said.
-President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and other leaders condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims' families.
-President Murmu described the attack as a crime against humanity and extended her prayers for the injured's recovery.
-"I am anguished by the terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. This dastardly act is a crime against humanity, and must be condemned in the strongest words. The nation stands with the families of the victims. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," President Murmu wrote in a post on X.
-Prime Minister Modi directed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to monitor the situation and ensure all possible assistance to the affected families. LG Sinha confirmed that security forces have launched a joint operation to apprehend the terrorists.
-Union Minister Amit Shah, after taking his oath, condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would not be spared. He discussed the situation with LG Sinha and DGP R R Swain.
-West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the incident and called for an investigation.
-Reasi SSP Sharma termed the incident a "clear case of terror attack," adding that a rescue operation was quickly initiated, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
-Local residents assisted the victims. Eyewitnesses described the bus being hit with 25 to 30 shots before plunging into the gorge. One witness saw a masked assailant in a red muffler firing on the bus.
-SSP Sharma informed that the area around Shiv Khori temple has been secured with regular patrols and that Village Defence Guards are on high alert.
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-A joint security force comprising police, army, and CRPF has set up a temporary headquarters at the accident site and launched a multidimensional operation to capture the attackers.
-Protests erupted in different areas of the Jammu division, including Reasi, with people demanding strict action against the terrorists. Reasi district had been relatively untouched by terror activities compared to neighboring regions.